Soldiers to Sidelines
9/7/2023 8:12:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Members of the Wake Forest men’s basketball coaching staff recently had the opportunity to represent in the 2023 Soldiers to Sidelines clinic and basketball workshop.
In learning you will teach, and in teaching you will learn.
That Phil Collins bar from the late-1990s may sound familiar to some. Over two decades later, truth within those 11 lines continues to stand strong and has been applied to many aspects of life. Sports are no exception, as teaching and learning go both ways between the mentors and the mentees.
For Wake Forest men's basketball, a recent in-state trip to the historic town of Fort Liberty tied into this same notion. Members of the coaching staff were invited to partake in the 2023 Soldiers to Sidelines fall clinic, held during the final weekend of August. Days spent away from campus and around service members, either retired or on active duty, aided into a developed perspective throughout the days.
"We were learning from them, just as much as they were learning from us," noted team general manager Mike Muse. "It was very moving and powerful."
___________________________
The early stages of receiving an opportunity to be part of Soldiers to Sidelines this year was a result of, as one may expect, connections within the two sides.
"We got a phone call from (Director of Basketball) Leigh Klein, whose father used to work at Five-Star Camp, and we had a bit of a relationship there," Muse explained. "Then, General (Christopher) Donahue, who runs the base at Fort Liberty, his father was a former football player here at Wake Forest and wanted our staff to come down. So, Leigh reached out to us, we reached back, settled on a date and Coach Forbes was all in for us going. It was a win-win situation."
Small world. A quintet of Muse, assistant coaches BJ Mckie, Jason Shay, Antanas Kavaliauskas and Demetris Nichols all made the two-hour drive east to represent the program.
Mainly involved in hosting a basketball coaching workshop open to the military community, a few other outings firstly took place for the staff upon arrival.
"When we got there on Friday, we had a social to meet a lot of the soldiers and other guys who would be participating in the clinic," said McKie. "The next day, we took a tour of the museum and the base. Guys told some of their life stories, including things that they did to even get into the military."
That "museum" happened to be the Airborne Division War Memorial Museum, which is known for being dedicated to telling the history of the Division from 1917 to present day. All-access allowed for a close-up look at how things have progressed over time.
"It was good to just see some of the history," McKie highlighted. "Some of the history from the very beginning, where it all started, up to this point now. We were able to see how some of the uniforms changed through the years, along with the machinery. It was interesting and fun to see."
"The best part about that was it's not every day that you're able to hang out with a guy with three purple hearts, or a general, a commander – they all were in the arena, deployed multiple times," Muse added on. "Their stories helped us relate to the guys that we were going to help learn how to coach the next day. So, we would know our audience. That was very special for the five of us who were able to experience that."
Time spent at the social proved to be just as important as the museum tour, with the staff immersed in a heavy presence of different backgrounds, rankings, and journeys. McKie recalled one particular soldier taking time to focus on a topic that all coaches can relate to.
"We met a guy who basically started out as one of the youngest guys on base to now one of the older guys. He had three purple hearts and gave us about a 15-20-minute lecture on leadership. It was very, very good.
"All of the soldiers had really good stories. It was touching to me, just being on the base, because I've actually had some friends who were a part of that base."
Taking over the hardwood for the main event, the Wake Forest staff had a structure in place within the basketball workshop that ultimately resulted in a neat twist.
"When we met up at the clinic, we did it based on three segments," said McKie. The first segment was footwork, second was offense, and third was defense. The soldiers did it a bit differently. We presented it to them on film and talked about it, then we presented it to them out on the floor. They actually taught it back to us. So, it was good to see that, and it looked like they got more confident each day."
Used to utilizing a particular approach to instruction each day with elite-level collegiate players, not much was needed to be switched up by the staff amongst the attentive soldiers.
"Things were the same in terms of talking about communication, commanding your team and leading them in the right direction," McKie acknowledged. "Showing confidence in what you're doing, while not being afraid to make mistakes is always important, of course. Coaches are not perfect. We wanted to talk with them about that aspect."
Those close to Coach Forbes will note the head honcho's strong fascination with mediums that center on patriotism. That such interest partly stems from his past studies as a History major.
"That's just who Coach is," said McKie. "Being a history buff, he likes those classic movies like Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers. I feel like all of us like history, and it rubs on us a little bit. But, Coach still holds the number one ranking."
For Muse, his family ties to the military generated a special place in the heart during Soldiers to Sidelines.
"My grandfather and brother both served. To be down there and be able to give back was big for me.
"It's funny because there were a lot of similarities we learned during the weekend between coaching and what they have to do for leadership. Roles differ, of course, as ours isn't life or death. Still, how you bring a team together, how you coach the team within the team, how to build culture and the processes in which you go through – all of those hold similarities. Just to be around those guys who have done that for a long time and were such high-level brass in the military was very powerful for me, personally."
Having settled back into Winston-Salem, the staff has their own share of takeaways from the time at Fort Liberty.
"Going in, we knew it would be a good experience but we didn't know the similarities between the two, as far as being a general and being a highly ranked guy with leadership, how much that plays into being in that position along with being in a coaching position," said McKie.
"One thing for me, spoken by General Donahue, showed that we have to teach our young people how to win and how to lose," Muse stated. "Not everything in life that you will do will earn you a trophy. Winning matters, and how you lose matters. That was what (Donahue) stressed to the guys coaching, trying to transition from the military to coaching. He wants them to be hard on others that need it, teaching them that there is a right way to win and, when they lose, it needs to be handled. There's a big difference. That all really stuck out to me."
Operating as a yearly event, Soldiers to Sidelines extend invitations to various institutions across the country. In 2022, Appalachian State University received the invite as an in-state school. If granted the opportunity, Wake Forest men's basketball would be quick to return, potentially bringing players for the ride.
"If they offered us to go to another base, someplace else, or wanted us back, I think all five of us would agree – we would go," Muse emphasized. "Matter of fact, while we were there, we were trying to figure out, 'ok, how can we get our team down here for two or three days?' How can our guys see what we just saw? How can we make it beneficial for our team to have their team help us train? There were some of those conversations that happened on the last day down there."
"I really think it would be beneficial for our guys, from a leadership standpoint, to see how to lead, and not only see it from our standpoint, but from a military one as well," McKie chimed in. "It would be a different perspective. I think that would be very good for our guys."
Energized for an upcoming preseason following a summer spent on building camaraderie, one simple word by the staff can best summarize what will be required to have success through the next several weeks, as the fall semester has gotten underway.
"Focus," said McKie. "Staying focused is the main thing. During the summer, it's mainly just you, as a staff, and the guys. When you get back, there are more activities on campus and possible distractions. So, keeping that focus and staying locked in, along with your classes, are the biggest keys moving forward."
What They Are Saying
That Phil Collins bar from the late-1990s may sound familiar to some. Over two decades later, truth within those 11 lines continues to stand strong and has been applied to many aspects of life. Sports are no exception, as teaching and learning go both ways between the mentors and the mentees.
For Wake Forest men's basketball, a recent in-state trip to the historic town of Fort Liberty tied into this same notion. Members of the coaching staff were invited to partake in the 2023 Soldiers to Sidelines fall clinic, held during the final weekend of August. Days spent away from campus and around service members, either retired or on active duty, aided into a developed perspective throughout the days.
"We were learning from them, just as much as they were learning from us," noted team general manager Mike Muse. "It was very moving and powerful."
___________________________
The early stages of receiving an opportunity to be part of Soldiers to Sidelines this year was a result of, as one may expect, connections within the two sides.
"We got a phone call from (Director of Basketball) Leigh Klein, whose father used to work at Five-Star Camp, and we had a bit of a relationship there," Muse explained. "Then, General (Christopher) Donahue, who runs the base at Fort Liberty, his father was a former football player here at Wake Forest and wanted our staff to come down. So, Leigh reached out to us, we reached back, settled on a date and Coach Forbes was all in for us going. It was a win-win situation."
Small world. A quintet of Muse, assistant coaches BJ Mckie, Jason Shay, Antanas Kavaliauskas and Demetris Nichols all made the two-hour drive east to represent the program.
Mainly involved in hosting a basketball coaching workshop open to the military community, a few other outings firstly took place for the staff upon arrival.
"When we got there on Friday, we had a social to meet a lot of the soldiers and other guys who would be participating in the clinic," said McKie. "The next day, we took a tour of the museum and the base. Guys told some of their life stories, including things that they did to even get into the military."
That "museum" happened to be the Airborne Division War Memorial Museum, which is known for being dedicated to telling the history of the Division from 1917 to present day. All-access allowed for a close-up look at how things have progressed over time.
"It was good to just see some of the history," McKie highlighted. "Some of the history from the very beginning, where it all started, up to this point now. We were able to see how some of the uniforms changed through the years, along with the machinery. It was interesting and fun to see."
"The best part about that was it's not every day that you're able to hang out with a guy with three purple hearts, or a general, a commander – they all were in the arena, deployed multiple times," Muse added on. "Their stories helped us relate to the guys that we were going to help learn how to coach the next day. So, we would know our audience. That was very special for the five of us who were able to experience that."
Time spent at the social proved to be just as important as the museum tour, with the staff immersed in a heavy presence of different backgrounds, rankings, and journeys. McKie recalled one particular soldier taking time to focus on a topic that all coaches can relate to.
"We met a guy who basically started out as one of the youngest guys on base to now one of the older guys. He had three purple hearts and gave us about a 15-20-minute lecture on leadership. It was very, very good.
"All of the soldiers had really good stories. It was touching to me, just being on the base, because I've actually had some friends who were a part of that base."
___________________________
Taking over the hardwood for the main event, the Wake Forest staff had a structure in place within the basketball workshop that ultimately resulted in a neat twist.
"When we met up at the clinic, we did it based on three segments," said McKie. The first segment was footwork, second was offense, and third was defense. The soldiers did it a bit differently. We presented it to them on film and talked about it, then we presented it to them out on the floor. They actually taught it back to us. So, it was good to see that, and it looked like they got more confident each day."
Used to utilizing a particular approach to instruction each day with elite-level collegiate players, not much was needed to be switched up by the staff amongst the attentive soldiers.
"Things were the same in terms of talking about communication, commanding your team and leading them in the right direction," McKie acknowledged. "Showing confidence in what you're doing, while not being afraid to make mistakes is always important, of course. Coaches are not perfect. We wanted to talk with them about that aspect."
___________________________
Those close to Coach Forbes will note the head honcho's strong fascination with mediums that center on patriotism. That such interest partly stems from his past studies as a History major.
"That's just who Coach is," said McKie. "Being a history buff, he likes those classic movies like Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers. I feel like all of us like history, and it rubs on us a little bit. But, Coach still holds the number one ranking."
For Muse, his family ties to the military generated a special place in the heart during Soldiers to Sidelines.
"My grandfather and brother both served. To be down there and be able to give back was big for me.
"It's funny because there were a lot of similarities we learned during the weekend between coaching and what they have to do for leadership. Roles differ, of course, as ours isn't life or death. Still, how you bring a team together, how you coach the team within the team, how to build culture and the processes in which you go through – all of those hold similarities. Just to be around those guys who have done that for a long time and were such high-level brass in the military was very powerful for me, personally."
___________________________
Having settled back into Winston-Salem, the staff has their own share of takeaways from the time at Fort Liberty.
"Going in, we knew it would be a good experience but we didn't know the similarities between the two, as far as being a general and being a highly ranked guy with leadership, how much that plays into being in that position along with being in a coaching position," said McKie.
"One thing for me, spoken by General Donahue, showed that we have to teach our young people how to win and how to lose," Muse stated. "Not everything in life that you will do will earn you a trophy. Winning matters, and how you lose matters. That was what (Donahue) stressed to the guys coaching, trying to transition from the military to coaching. He wants them to be hard on others that need it, teaching them that there is a right way to win and, when they lose, it needs to be handled. There's a big difference. That all really stuck out to me."
Operating as a yearly event, Soldiers to Sidelines extend invitations to various institutions across the country. In 2022, Appalachian State University received the invite as an in-state school. If granted the opportunity, Wake Forest men's basketball would be quick to return, potentially bringing players for the ride.
"If they offered us to go to another base, someplace else, or wanted us back, I think all five of us would agree – we would go," Muse emphasized. "Matter of fact, while we were there, we were trying to figure out, 'ok, how can we get our team down here for two or three days?' How can our guys see what we just saw? How can we make it beneficial for our team to have their team help us train? There were some of those conversations that happened on the last day down there."
"I really think it would be beneficial for our guys, from a leadership standpoint, to see how to lead, and not only see it from our standpoint, but from a military one as well," McKie chimed in. "It would be a different perspective. I think that would be very good for our guys."
Energized for an upcoming preseason following a summer spent on building camaraderie, one simple word by the staff can best summarize what will be required to have success through the next several weeks, as the fall semester has gotten underway.
"Focus," said McKie. "Staying focused is the main thing. During the summer, it's mainly just you, as a staff, and the guys. When you get back, there are more activities on campus and possible distractions. So, keeping that focus and staying locked in, along with your classes, are the biggest keys moving forward."
What They Are Saying
- Harrison Bernstein, President & Founder of Soldiers to Sidelines
- "This event was incredible because of the tremendous care, energy, knowledge and enthusiasm presented by the Wake Forest men's basketball coaching staff. They were a true inspiration for the local military community to continue to serve their country as a coach. I am grateful for the Wake Forest staff's time, energy and attention to make our country a little bit stronger."
- Leigh Klein, Director of Basketball for Soldiers to Sidelines
- "It was an incredible honor to be at Fort Liberty to implement a basketball coaching workshop for the Military community. We could not have found a better partner than the Wake Forest men's basketball coaching staff. Their incredible teaching approach laid a foundation of the game to the attendees, but more important is how giving of themselves they were to all the participants to level up their understanding of the game of basketball. Without question, the impact that was made stretched well beyond the Workshop, as they have shaped the Fort Liberty community and have motivated many future coaches. We are grateful to the Wake Forest staff."
- Command Sergeant Major (CSM) Gregory Seymour
- "It was my honor and privilege to share military life and my own military experiences with the Wake Forest men's basketball staff – including sharing how we became 'Fort Liberty.' I want to give a special shout out to the Wake Forest staff for their professionalism during the seminar. Although I am a 6'4" Command SGT Major, I was amongst giants from the Wake Forest staff. They impacted and changed the lives of 34 volunteer coaches from across the state of North Carolina. The opportunity to teach, coach, and mentor future coaches here at Fort Liberty was incredible – especially since we need more coaches for our youth programs."
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